Fawaaz Basadien’s second-half penalty was enough to see Stellenbosch FC take a huge 1-0 advantage over Mamelodi Sundowns in their action-packed MTN8 semi-final first leg tie played at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Wednesday night.
Seven minutes in, Devon Titus sneaked in behind the Sundowns defence, but his low cross had great anticipation from Jody February who parried it before it being cleared from danger.
Titus attempted an acrobatic kick in the ninth minute but again February thwarted his threat.
In the 22nd minute, Bradley Mojela was played in by Andre De Jong, but the Stellies number 10 delayed his shot which Teboho Mokoena blocked for a corner.
Mojela latched onto a miscued ball by Lebusa in the 27th minute but the Stellies frontman flushed his shot which sailed off target.
The home side came close to grabbing the lead in the 35th minute but Sage Stephens denied Peter Shalulile one-on-one.
Grant Kekana’s header a minute later came off the crossbar as the first period could not separate the two sides with the score still tied at 0-0.
In the 49th minute, Aubrey Modiba unleashed a shot from just outside the box, but it deflected just over the crossbar for a corner.
Titus curled his effort wide in the 52nd minute with just February to beat.
Referee Thokozani Mkhize awarded Stellies a penalty in the 58th minute after Kekana tackled Titus in the 18-yard area. Basadien stepped up to make it 1-0.
Record-signing Arthur Sales was denied at point-blank by Stephens in the 79th minute after being played in by Lucas Ribeiro.
Basadien’s free kick in the 83rd minute failed to trouble February who easily collected.
Themba Zwane’s close range effort in the 87th minute was superbly saved by an-onrushing Stephens.
Sundowns were denied by the crossbar from Mokoena’s thunderous strike in the 90th minute, and that’s how the tie ended in Stellies’ favour.
Masandawana will now have it all to do in the second leg at the weekend when they travel to the Cape Winelands.
